HiPE intros voice-operated Drive-N car PCs with Vista MCE

People have been cramming PC's of all kinds into cars ever since LCD screens became ubiquitous, and even a little before that. HiPE's new Drive-N series of car PCs is designed to ease the usual DIY-grind by sporting a laundry list of features and interface possibilities. The units, ranging in price from $799 for a barebones Via C7 in an amp-style chassis up to $2199 for a tricked-out double-DIN touchscreen monster, all run Windows Vista MCE with the One Voice command system, and can be outfitted with GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, XM, and even a rearview camera. The machines can also interface with your car's OBD II unit to let you monitor vehicle diagnostics, as well as clear out some of those annoying error messages you usually have to let the dealer handle. All these features are nice, but nothing can excuse HiPE's lame-o tagline: "Why drive when you can be Drive-N?" Yeah, and why hire a marketing firm when you can just ask your 12-year-old niece?

[Jack @ Apr 24th 2007 7:10PM]

Ha thats a good one! -__-

[-ardcore Canadian @ Apr 24th 2007 7:17PM]

They probably got the tag line by offering up a Wii ;) haha

[K-SO @ Apr 25th 2007 6:14AM]

How long till someone decides to put an Apple TV running OS X in their car hooked up to a small LCD... sounds like a brilliant idea now that i think more about it...

[dtrapp @ Apr 24th 2007 7:59PM]

http://www.heycool.com

see, man, you lost me at Windows.

[Matthew @ Apr 24th 2007 8:33PM]

Yeah, I was interested all the way up until I read Vista...

[JD @ Apr 24th 2007 8:48PM]

Can I get one running Ubuntu OS?

[robbie edell @ Apr 30th 2007 10:40PM]

hey i am getting a porsche cayenne soon and was wondering if anyone could help me decide what to get in it.. should i stick with there standard GPS unit or should i get a aftermarket unit like this one... would it even fit? thanks for your help

[simon p @ Apr 24th 2007 10:42PM]

this is just a rebranded infill G4. They've been available in korea for some time now.
Mp3car.com has one running XP with StreetDeck software pre-installed for $2199
That also happens to be the base price for this HiPE rendition, though as far as I can tell, it doesn't have the StreetDeck software. I guess that's the price you pay to have Vista. (the dollar price anyway, there are obviously other drawbacks as well).

[Jesse S @ Apr 24th 2007 10:58PM]

It says that right on the HiPE site.

[James Q @ Apr 24th 2007 11:35PM]

The Infill is already available on MP3Car.com and they are offering a discount for forum members making it $1699 and it includes StreetDeck
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/mp3car-infill-g4-double-din-car-computer/100932-infill-g4-now-shipping.html

[Andir3.0 @ Apr 25th 2007 12:07AM]

I'm with dtrapp, Matthew and JD... even if it does cost me favor with the Microsoft virals.

[JP @ Apr 25th 2007 3:48AM]

AM/FM/XM/Internet, yet, not HD Radio? Come on, you have the analog tuners, the ability to decode MPEG audio, and the interface to take advantage of all the HD extras. That is just moronic.

[Chris @ Apr 25th 2007 1:38PM]

By the way Engadget its OBD II not standing for Onboard Diagnostics not ODB II.

[Chris @ Apr 25th 2007 1:48PM]

Edit:
By the way Engadget its OBD II standing for Onboard Diagnostics not ODB II.